The Study of Monin-Obukhov Similarity of Vertical Wind Velocity and Scalar Quantities in the Atmospheric Surface Layer

Standard deviations for vertical wind velocity and scalar quantities, such as carbon dioxide,c, and water vapor,q, were analyzed on the basis of Monin-Obukhov similarity theory in the atmospheric surface layer. The correlation coefficient between scalar quantities c and q ,|R(cq)|, was derived from the similarity functions and can be expressed as the ratio of B(q)/B(c)(B(q)≤B(c)), where parameter B is the value of the normalized standard deviation of carbon dioxide and water vapor at neutral conditions

CO(2) Fluxes Measured by Eddy Correlation and Aerodynamic Techniques

To elucidate the seasonal and inter-annual variation of CO(2) exchanges between the atmosphere and cultivated field in Japan, the CO(2) flux has been measured by the eddy correlation technique at the experimental farm of Agricultural Faculty, Okayama University since December in 1998. The CO(2) sensor, however, does not work under rainy conditions. The improved aerodynamic technique was developed and used to cover CO(2) flux data which were not collected. This technique gives reasonable CO(2) fluxes even in rainy days. The reliability of the technique was also confirmed by comparing CO(2) fluxes with those measured by the eddy correlation technique using data in fine weather conditions

The efficacy of cefmetazole against pyelonephritis caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae

SummaryObjectivesUrinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae are on the increase. Although cefmetazole is stable in vitro against the hydrolyzing activity of ESBLs, no clinical study has ever evaluated its role in infections caused by these organisms. We therefore evaluated the efficacy of cefmetazole compared to carbapenems against pyelonephritis caused by ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae.MethodsA retrospective chart review was conducted at a tertiary care hospital from August 2008 to July 2010. Chart reviews were done for patients with ESBL-producing organisms in urine identified in the microbiology database. Patients who were treated with cefmetazole were compared to those treated with carbapenems. The clinical and bacteriological cure rates at 4 weeks after completion of therapy were evaluated.ResultsTwo hundred and fifty-six urine cultures growing ESBL-producing organisms were identified during the study period. Ten patients treated with cefmetazole and 12 patients treated with carbapenems were evaluated. There was no difference in clinical (9/10 vs. 12/12, p=0.46) or bacteriological cure rate (5/7 vs. 6/7, p=1.00) at 4 weeks after the completion of therapy. There was no difference in the incidence of adverse effects (2/10 vs. 2/12, p=1.00).ConclusionsCefmetazole may be a useful option for the treatment of UTIs caused by ESBL-producing organisms. Prospective and larger sized studies are needed to confirm our findings

Global Thrombosis Test - a possible monitoring system for the effects and safety of dabigatran

© Otsui et al. 2015BACKGROUND: Dabigatran is an alternative to warfarin (WF) for the thromboprophylaxis of stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). The advantage of dabigatran over WF is that monitoring is not required; however, a method to monitor the effect and the safety of dabigatran is not currently available. The Global Thrombosis Test (GTT) is a novel method to assess both clot formation and lysis activities under physiological conditions. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether treatment with dabigatran might affect shear-induced thrombi (occlusion time [OT], sec) by the GTT, and to investigate the possibility that the GTT could be useful as a monitoring system for dabigatran. PATIENTS/METHODS: The study population consisted of 50 volunteers and 43 NVAF patients on WF therapy, who were subsequently switched to dabigatran. Using the GTT, the thrombotic status was assessed one day before and 1 month after switching anticoagulation from WF to dabigatran. RESULTS: The OT was 524.9 ± 17.0 sec in volunteers whereas that of NVAF patients on WF therapy was 581.7 ± 26.3 sec. The switch from WF to dabigatran significantly prolonged OT (784.5 ± 19.3 sec). One patient on WF therapy and 12 patients on dabigatran therapy were shown to have OT > 900 sec. CONCLUSION: The GTT could be used to assess the risk of dabigatran-related bleeding complications.Peer reviewe

Ibuprofen for neuroprotection after cerebral ischemia

ObjectiveIbuprofen has been shown to reduce cerebral ischemic injury, such as may occur after deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. We investigated whether ibuprofen has direct protective effects against excitotoxic neuronal injury, as may be seen after cerebral ischemia, by using a cell culture model.MethodsMixed cortical cultures containing neuronal and glial cells were prepared from fetal mice at 13 to 15 days gestation, plated on a layer of confluent astrocytes from 1- to 3-day-old postnatal pups. Near-pure neuronal cultures containing less than 5% astrocytes were obtained from mice of the same gestational stage. Slowly triggered excitotoxic injury was induced at 37°C by 24-hour exposure to 12.5 μmol/L N-methyl-D-aspartate or 50 μmol/L kainate. Neuronal death was quantified by release of lactate dehydrogenase from damaged cells. Data were analyzed using 1-way analysis of variance with Tukey post hoc multiple comparisons.ResultsIn mixed cultures, ibuprofen concentrations of 25 μg/mL, 50 μg/mL, and 100 μg/mL all significantly reduced N-methyl-D-aspartate–induced neuronal cell death from 74.5% to 56.1%, 38.7%, and 12.3%, respectively, revealing a strong dose response (P < .001). In near-pure cultures, ibuprofen at a concentration of 25 μg/mL failed to protect neurons, indicating that the neuroprotective effects of ibuprofen require interaction with glial cells. Furthermore, ibuprofen at 100 μg/mL was not protective against neuronal cell death induced by kainate exitotoxicity in near-pure culture but was effective in mixed cultures.ConclusionIbuprofen provides neuroprotection through glial cells against excitotoxic neuronal injury caused by glutamatergic excitotoxicity after cerebral ischemia as demonstrated by reduced neuronal cell death in mixed cell cultures. Further studies are needed to evaluate the potential of ibuprofen to reduce neurologic injury in patients experiencing an hypoxic/ischemic insult

Heat Budget on Rice Field

Experience of flux measurements over tall canopies has revealed that the eddy flux of sensible plus latent heat is about 30% smaller than the available radiant energy flux. A systematic observation was carried out to investigate the imbalance problem on rice field. The rice field represents a complex system consisting of rice plant, irrigated water and soil. Date obtained in this experiment show that appreciable understimations of sensible and latent heat fluxes are not recognized but understimations of 15 to 23% are counted in the soil heat flux

Small Mucinous Cystic Neoplasm of the Pancreas Successfully Detected and Resected by a Laparoscopic Approach: Report of a Case

Incidentally detected small pancreatic cyst is a therapeutic challenge. As these lesions include a spectrum of pathologies ranging from benignlesions to malignant mucinous tumors, it is important to differentiate potential malignant mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCN) from others.However, a definitive diagnosis might be difficult, since computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) cannot depict themorphologic features characteristic of small MCN.This report presents a case of a small pancreatic cyst incidentally detected during medical check-up for inguinal hernia. Although the preoperativediagnosis was uncertain with CT and MRI, the diagnosis of MCN was strongly suspected because the majority of MCN tend to oftenoccur in elderly women and the most common locations are in the pancreatic tail. Laparoscopic ultrasonography (LUS) was employed to obtaina correct diagnosis, and it showed a 16 mm cyst with characteristic features indicating a diagnosis of MCN. The patient underwent alaparoscopic distal pancreatectomy and the diagnosis of MCN was confirmed histopathologically. In conclusion, LUS allowed a timely curativeresection of a small MCN in this case